Infront, the global sports marketing company, has extended its long-standing partnership with the Badminton World Federation (BWF), the international governing body for badminton, securing a new rights cycle from 2025 to 2028.
The renewal cements Infront’s role as the exclusive media and marketing partner for the BWF World Tour and major international events, strengthening the sport’s commercial and global expansion strategy.
The agreement covers worldwide media rights distribution, sponsorship sales, brand activation, and on-site commercial operations across the full BWF World Tour structure. This includes the World Tour Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, and Super 300 tournaments, along with the BWF World Championships, Thomas and Uber Cup Finals, Sudirman Cup Finals, and the BWF World Junior Championships. BWF will retain control of a small number of territories, with Infront managing all other global markets.
Commenting on the occasion, Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, BWF President, said, “This new cycle is not just a plan; it is a promise. A promise to our athletes, our fans, our hosts and partners, and our global community that badminton is ready to lead, to achieve, and to shine. In Infront, we have a partner that gives us the commercial strength, media expertise, and global reach to deliver on our ambitions. It is the culmination of a shared vision to elevate badminton’s global standing and unlock its full potential as a sport.”
Philippe Blatter, President and CEO of Infront, added, “Our renewed collaboration represents a significant upscaling of badminton as a sport. Together with BWF, we’ve created more opportunities for commercialisation and visibility, adding sustainable value through investment in content, technology and fan engagement. We’re delighted to be continuing this partnership, and it is a testament to the work that has already been put in by the team.”
Building on a collaboration that began in 2018, the renewed agreement continues to cover media and marketing rights sales, operations and servicing, live and non-live TV production, live streaming, and worldwide signal distribution. Over the past seven years, the partnership has helped transform badminton into one of Asia’s most-followed sports. Across the World Tour and Major Championships, the sport has seen substantial growth in fan reach, broadcast impact, and sponsor engagement. Badminton’s global fan base has risen by 65 percent to 744 million, while annual on-site attendance now reaches almost 600,000 spectators. Average cumulative audiences have reached 122 million per event, supported by more than 50 broadcast partners across 160 territories. Total broadcast hours have doubled to over 121,000, and the number of sponsor brands involved in the sport has also doubled.
Badminton’s commercial momentum adds to a wider industry pattern, with racquet sports experiencing rising media demand and year-round scheduling value for broadcasters. Recent partnerships across tennis, pickleball, and padel reflect the broader appetite for global racket properties with strong digital engagement potential.
On court, the BWF World Tour remains one of the most competitive international circuits, with emerging stars from China, India, Japan, Indonesia, Denmark, and Korea driving new storylines. Athletes continue to compete for ranking points, Olympic qualification pathways, and major titles across a packed calendar.
The next wave of top-tier events returns early in the 2025 season, with the Super 1000 tournaments opening another intensive year for the global badminton circuit.
